Suction cleaner



y -69 1935. H. 18. WHITE ZfiQfiW SUCTION CLEANER Filed Nov. 16, 1951 INVENTOR. HARRY 5. Wm TE ATTORNEY.

Patented July 16, 1935 SUCTION CLEANER Harry B. White, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio H Application November 16, 1931, Serial No. 575,211

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularly to a new and novel handle-position-controlling means for a suction cleaner. More specifically, the invention comprises the provision of a handle-position-controlling device for a movable tool which permits the handle to be moved from various ranges of movement and from its various positions in which it is locked, by means of a force exerted upon the handle itself.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved handle-position-controlling means. A further object is the provision, in a movable tool provided with a pivoted handle, of handle-positioncontrolling means which retrict the movement of the handle within certain ranges and which look it in certain positions, yet which permit the handle to be disengaged from said ranges and from said position, in substantially every instance, by a force exerted directly through the handle. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

In the drawing, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed:

Figure 1 is a side view of a modern suction cleaner with the present invention embodied therein;

Figure 2 is a partial side view of the cleaner shown in Figure 1 with the handle pivoted into its working range;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the handle pivoted into what is known as the horizontal position;

Figure 4 is an inside view of position-controlling means looking from the cleaner-side thereof;

Figure 5 is a view from below of the construction shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the latch member.

In the drawing a modern suction cleaner is disclosed which comprises, for the purposes of the description of the present invention, a body I which is movably supported by front and rear wheels 2 and 3 respectively, and which is provided with a handle 4, pivoted to body I at the pin 5, by means of which it may be moved by the 50 operator upon the surface covering undergoing cleaning. When the tool is not in use it is desired usually that the handle be positioned in a substantially vertical position, or what is know as the storage position, and in the well designed cleaner means to retain the handle in that position is always incorporated. In the operation of the machine as the cleaner is pushed and pulled forwardly and backwardly over the surface covering the handle is naturally pivoted between certain well defined limits by the arm of the op- 5 erator. The handle-position-controlling means should be so designed that the handle is permitted free pivotal movement within this so-called working range and yet is restricted from unintended displacement therefrom. It is also necessary, at times, to position the handle in a substantially horizontal position in order to enable the cleaner to pass under low articles of furniture such as beds, etc. The well designed handle-position-controlling means will also be adapted to permit this extreme low position of the handle. It is desirable also that the handle be able to pass from one working range to another, or from a working range to a storage position, by means of a force exerted directly through the handle proper. In the present handle-position-controlling means this latter requirement has been substantially complied with. It is also desirable that outside forces exerted on the positioning means by the foot of the operator be exerted downward- 25 ly in order that the sole of the shoe may be used. The present invention provides for such a force when an outside force is required.

The handle-position-controlling means comprising the present invention includes a freely pivoted plate or member 6 which is pivotally connected to the handle 4 by means of the pivot pin 1. Member 6 is provided with a slot system, indicated generally by the reference character 8, within which a pin or element 9, rigidly carried by the body I of the cleaner, extends and is adapted to slide. Slot system 8 is scientifically designed and comprises a slot or guideway l0, within which the pin 9 is positioned and is slidable when the handle is within its working range, and a slot 40 l l which has a common junction with slot 10 and which permits the handle to be lowered to a horizontal position when the pin 9 slides to the end thereof. Spaced adjacent the end of slot I0 and separated therefrom by an upwardly projecting portion or stop [2 is a depressed seat l3 which is so positioned that with the handle in the vertical or storage relationship the pin 9 extends therein. Pivotatly mounted upon the lower end of the member or plate 6, by means of a pin l4 carried thereby, is a latch member I5. As the two opposite ends of the member or plate 6 are ofiset relative to the central portion thereof and as the latch member I5 is pivotally mounted upon an end portion it extends over and is adapted to contact the central portion of plate 6, as is clearly shown in Figure 4. The forward end of latch member I5 is formed as a smooth surface I6 having a substantially fiat portion and a rounded downwardly-projecting stop or portion I'I. With the latch member pivoted to its lowermost position the stop I'I contacts the upper portion of stop I2 on the plate 6 and with the latch member so positioned the flat space I6 is positioned as shown in Figure 4 relative to slots II] and II. A spring, indicated by the reference character I8, is carried by member 6 upon a pin I9. One end of spring I8 passes under a spaced pin 28 while the opposite end passes under or rather around a pin 2| carried by latch member I5. Spring I8 exerts a pivoting force upon latch member I5 about its pivot point I l and functions, in the absence of an overcoming force, to hold the latch member I5 in its lowermost position with stop II in contact with stop I2.

In the operation of the tool upon the pivotal movement of the handle within the working range the pin 9, rigidly carried by body I, is positioned within the slot or guideway II] of plate 5, acting under the force of gravity, rests thereon with the pin contacting the top of the slot. So long as the handle is only moved within the ordinary working range the pin 9 is free to slide the length of slot I until it contacts the forward face of latch member l5. If it is desired to change the handle from the working range to the vertical or storage position it is only necessary to exert a force upon the handle sufficient for pin 9 to overcome the force exerted by spring I8 and to pivot latch member I upwardly and so permit the pin to slide from slot I I], over stop I2, and into seat I3. This force requirement upon the handle 4 is not excessive but is only suficiently great that pin 9 will not pass from slot I0 into seat I3 in the absence of a definite intention to effect that movement upon the part of the operator. The pin 3 is thereafter resistingly held in seat I 3 by the force exerted by latch I5. If it is desired to move the handle from the storage position and again place it in its working range it is only necessary to exert a positive force upon the handle in the opposite direction. The pin 9 is then forced over the stop I 2 against the force exerted thru latch I5 by spring I8 and again enters slot III. This change of position is accomplished, as before described, without the requirement of any force except through the handle. If, however, it is desired to change the handle from the working range to a horizontal position, as is often desired when the handle is being positioned substantially parallel to the surface covering as when the tool is being used under beds, etc., it is necessary for the pin 9 to pass from slot I0 into slot II. In order to accomplish this change it is necessary that the operator exert a downwardly directed force upon plate member 6 when pin 9 is at the end of slot I II, the pin I4 being extended outwardly to form a convenient means to receive this force. This force requirement is only sufficient to pivot member I5 against spring action and the operator need only to pull the handle backwardly while exerting this downward force upon the plate member to enable pin 9 to slide along the forward face I6 of the latch member and so into the slot I I. In the reverse operation no force upon the plate is required but only that the handle be forced suificiently hard to cause pin 9 to slide downwardly along face It of the latch and pivot that member backwards to permit the entrance of the pin into slot I (I. It is seen, therefore, that a handle-position-controlling means has been provided in which changes from all positions and ranges of movement, save one, can be accomplished by means of a force applied to the handle of the tool.

I claim:

1. In a handle-position-controlling means for a movable tool having a pivoted handle, means cooperating to retain yieldingly said handle within an intermediate range of movement, means to retain yieldingly said handle in a substantially vertical position, and means to prevent the movement of said handle from said working range to a substantially horizontal position in the absence of an external force applied to said means directly and to prevent yieldingly its return to said working range from said horizontal position.

2. In a handleposition-controlling means for a movable tool having a pivoted handle, a member pivotally mounted on said handle and provided with a plurality of interconnected slots, a latch carried by said member, resilient means holding said latch in closing position to a plurality of said slots, a second member carried by said tool slidably positioned in one of said slots and adapted to pass from a first to a second slot, upon the movement of said latch, and a seat for said second member into which it may pass upon leaving either of said slots, said latch functioning to resistingly retain said second member in said seat.

3. In a handle-position-controlling means for a movable tool having a pivoted handle, cooperating means on said handle and on said tool to permit said handle a limited range of movement between the vertical and the horizontal and to permit its movement to a horizontal position and to permit its movement to and resistingly secure it in a vertical position, said means comprising a stationary member carried by said tool, a freely pivoted member carried by said handle, a slot in said pivoted member within which said stationary member slides and of such extent as to restrict said handle to a limited range of movement, a second slot in said member within which said stationary member slides when said handle is lowered to the horizontal position, said slots having a common junction, a latch movably carried by said pivoted member and extending across said slots at their junction, spring means holding said latch in slot-closing position, and a seat at the junction of said slots ordinarily closed by said latch and within which said stationary member seats with the handle in the vertical position, characterized by the fact that said stationary member can be moved from said first-mentioned slot to the seat or vice versa and from said second-mentioned slot to the first mentioned by a force exerted upon the handle.

l. In a handle-position-controlling means for a movable tool having a pivoted handle, a plate formed with a slot system pivoted to said handle near its pivot point, a stationary pin carried by said tool and supporting said plate at a point spaced from the pivot point of said handle and extending into said slot system, a plurality of slots of said system having a common junction, a spring-pressed latch closing the ends of said slots at said junction and adapted to resistingly retain said pin within a slot within which it is positioned, the face of said latch closing said slots sloping at an angle to a line from said junction to the pivot point of said plate so that said pin can slide from one of said slots along said face to a position opposite a second slot, and means on said plate toreceive a force to move said pin along said face in the opposite direction.

5. In a handle-position-controlling means for a movable tool having a pivoted handle, means cooperating to retain said handle in a vertical position, means cooperating to retain yieldingly said handle in a horizontal range of movement, and means cooperating to retain said handle in an intermediate range of movement and to yieldingly resist its movement to a vertical position and to positively prevent its movement to a horizontal position in the absence of an external force applied directly to said means, and means to receive said force.

6. In a handle-position-controlling means for a body having a pivoted handle, cooperating means, one on said body and one on said handle, comprising a pivotally mounted plate having a slot system and a member slidable in said slot system upon the pivotal movement of said handle, said slot system including a slot in which said member slides when said handle is lowered to a horizontal position, and a slot in which said member slides when said handle'is moved within an intermediate range of movement and a seat in which said member seats when said handle is positioned in a vertical position, said slots and said seat having a common junction, a springpressed latch carried by said plate closing said slots and said seat, the slope of said seat on its junction side being such that said member can slide therefrom against the retaining force of said latch upon the exertion of a pivoting force on said handle, and the angle of incidence of said latch with one of said slots being such that upon the movement of said handle forcing said member from said slot against the retaining force exerted by said latch said member slides along said latch to the mouth of the second slot.

7. In a handle-position-controlling means for a body having a pivoted handle, cooperating means, one on said body and one on said handle, comprising a pivotally mounted plate having a slot system and a member slidable in said slot system upon the pivoted movement of said handle, said slot system including a slot in which said member slides when said handle is lowered to a horizontal position, and a slot in which said member slides when said handle is moved within an intermediate range of movement and a seat in which said member seats when said handle is positioned in a vertical position, said slots and said seat having a common junction, a springpressed latch carried by said plate closing said slots and said seat, the slope of said seat on its junction side being such that said member can slide therefrom against the retaining force of said latch upon the exertion of a pivoting force on said handle, and the angle of incidence of said latch with one of said slots being such that upon the movement of said handle forcing said member from said slot against the retaining force exerted by'said latch said member slides along said latch to the mouth of the second slot, means being provided on said plate to receive an outside force to pivot said plate with said member in contact with said latch in order to move said latch so that said member can move in the reverse direction, or from the mouth of said second slot to the mouth of said first slot.

HARRY B. WHITE. 

